Government split on National Integrity Commission

The Liberal-National coalition is once more at odds – this time on whether to support Labor’s proposal for a National Integrity Commission.

THE HON. MARK DREYFUS QC MP

SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL

SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY

MEMBER FOR ISAACS

GOVERNMENT SPLIT ON NATIONAL INTEGRITY COMMISSION

The Liberal-National coalition is once more at odds – this time on whether to support Labor’s proposal for a National Integrity Commission.

Barnaby Joyce has made it crystal-clear that he does not support a federal anti-corruption body:

“I don’t think there is a real sense in Australia of a concern with the political system…”

Barnaby Joyce, Sky News, 28 January

Malcolm Turnbull, however, has refused to rule it out and is “looking at this issue”. Christian Porter was even more effusive today:

“As a government we’re not closed-minded to that [proposal]”

Christian Porter, Radio National, 31 January

There certainly seems to be at least one member of Mr Turnbull’s cabinet – his Deputy Prime Minister – who is in fact closed-minded to a National Integrity Commission.

Labor stands ready to work with the government in a bipartisan manner to establish this body as soon as possible. Such a proposal should be above politics – it is in all our interests to build confidence in our political system.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Joyce need to get their house in order. They need to decide – do they support a National Integrity Commission or not?

Coalition division should not be allowed to get in the way of this proposal, as it does in so many other areas of Mr Turnbull’s government. It is too important.